Double sided grave stone

St Andrews, Burton Overy, Leicestershire



Burton Overy is a small village which lies about 2 miles off the main A6 road south of Leicester. In the heart of this village sits St Andrews church which has the most unusual grave stone lying to the east of the East window. For starter it has inscriptions of both sides which I don't think I have ever seen elsewhere. It also has virtually ever inch of the slate inscribed with both text and a variety of unusual symbils including spiders cobwebs and skulls. Also at St Andrews is a superb gargoyle over the east window, some lovely Victorian stained glass and some interesting stone carvings dotted around. I have always found the church open and there is plenty of room to park.

The text from the front is transcribed below and makes interesting reading:-

Here lyeth the bodys of two, aged 24 and 22,

THOMAS DYER, schoolmaster of this place,
For pious parts and virtue too,
We hope his souls at rest, and WILLIAM SIMPKINS too;
These flowers of youth were swept away
By accident as we may say,
Death met them in the deep
And caused us to weep,
And here they lie like two that are asleep;
Water is powerful by them it shows;
Venture not where you not knows;

The reverse side of the grave stone is below

Two brothers like within they lie, together livd

All you that pass us by,
Take care, in time prepare to die;
On June 20th this accident was done,
In one thousand seven hundred and twenty-one;
Here you see we are born to die,
When God sees good, we cannot put it by.

St Andrews view from the south west